UK police pioneer new scene of crime technology

A Scottish police force has helped to pioneer new scene of crime technology that can improve the gathering and analysis of vital evidence.

Grampian police worked with Aberdeen-based technology firm MaxIMT on the Return to Scene (R2S) Crime system, which includes a Spheron camera with the capability to produce spherical images of a whole room.

Difficult to see areas and dark corners of crime scenes can be enhanced and 'hot spots' can be inserted to show the position of fingerprints, footprints, DNA or other forensic evidence. Detailed photographs and video clips can also be inserted to explain evidence.

R2S Crime is so far being used by the FBI, with interest from UK and European police forces, according to MaxIMT.

Andrew Rolph, head of Grampian Police's identification bureau, said the technology has already assisted the force in the investigation of three recent murders in the area.

"Previously we would have had to prepare numerous reports to explain how the forensic evidence all linked together. Now it can all be shown together on a computer screen," he said in a statement. "[It] significantly reduces the time and costs associated with solving serious crime."